Charcoal Is About to Invade Your Skincare Routine

The Treatment: 60-minute charcoal facial by Michiko at Ling Skincare in NYC

The Promise: After extractions and a pressure point facial massage, a charcoal rice therapy mask will help your skin fight natural oils during a humid summer, and soothe your skin.

The Guru: Michiko’s one of the estheticians at Ling Skincare in NYC, a skincare destination for everyone from Alexander Wang to Gisele Bundchen.

Backdrop: The quiet spa’s located just off New York’s bustling Union Square, with a soft, zen-like vibe that’s not too clinical.

The Guinea Pig: After the launch of Yahoo Beauty—and New York’s debilitating humidity—I was breaking out, greasy, and finding new wrinkles (OK, fine lines) every day.

The Scoop: Yes, the point of this facial is the charcoal, but thanks to my big pores, I measure the success of a facial based on extractions, and Michiko was one of the most thorough people to tackle my skin. After it was clean, she used a fruit-acid filled detox mask, followed by a ginseng moisturizing mask. She left on the latter, layering a charcoal/rice powder/water mix right on top. As it firmed up, the mask actually turned cooling—a soothing sensation post-extractions.

The Results: Given the full hour Michiko devoted to extractions (yes, we went way over the allotted time), I expected to emerge red and puffy, but it turns out, my skin really likes charcoal. My face was soft, plumped, and glowing immediately post-facial. The next morning, my colleagues immediately asked where I scored my newfound glow. Nothing could have surprised them more than the answer: “Charcoal!” I’m still shiny by 4PM, but when you find something that keeps an oily face matte all day during a Manhattan summer, let me know.